Nick and Tesla's Secret Agent Gadget Battle (Nick and Tesla #3) by Bob Pflugfelder, Steve Hockensmith

What would you do if you had someone spying on you?


Quirk Books sent me a copy of this book for review (thank you).  This is the third in the series, so look for all three at your local bookstore.

The subtitle of this book is: A Mystery with Spy Cameras, Code Wheels, and Other Gadgets You Can Build Yourself.

Nick and Tesla like building gadgets and inventing things, so this is right up their alley.  They decide what to use, create it, set a trap and wait to see who they catch.  Will it be the odd guy in the basement, the exterminator who is afraid of spiders, or the two old ladies who are "housekeepers"?

Imagine their concern when the person they capture is not really the one that was spying on them.  Now imagine being captured and being unable to get away.  It's a good thing the kids are smart and know how to figure their way out of sticky situations.

You can do the science projects explained in the book just be careful.  Make sure young ones are supervised.  And have fun spying!

The Little Duck by Judy Dunn

Have you ever raised a duck?

Random House Children's Books sent me a copy of this board book for review (thank you).  This abridged edition is great for little ones.  You can find a copy at your local bookstore now.

The photographs make this board book stand out.  They show you the egg, the baby and how it dries out, and more about the life growth of a duck.

This duck likes the little boy who brought him home but he's gone to school during week.  He gets lonely.  He visits with the other farm animals, but none of them are close friends with him.  Imagine his surprise when he meets a really nice female duck at the pond!  Now he will have his own family.

One note here:  While this is a very cute story and does chronicle a duck's life accurately, you should never pick up an egg or take a baby from a nest unless you know the mother is dead.  Mom's are much better at rearing their children than you are, so let her do her job.  If the baby needs help, go for it.  Just get ready for more than one of whatever you choose to raise.

Happy reading.

Otherbound by Corinne Duyvis

What would you do if you could feel another person in your head?

Amulet Books sent me an ARC of this book to read for review (thank you).  It will be published June 17th, so make a note to pick up then.

Ms. Duyvis takes a very different premise for the basis of her story.  It's one I've never run across before and it's interesting.  She takes a boy living in present day in Arizona who has epilepsy and mixes him with a female servant in another world.  This is story of possession, but not by choice.

Every time Nolan closes his eyes, he travels to Amara's world and her life.  He can be out of it for a long time and the people around him attribute it to his disease.  That may be part of it but the new pills he's on really help send him there.  He can even make Amara move now.

At first, he scares her badly.  Then she's really mad at him; she doesn't need his help.  She has her own job to do.  Cilla is a princess and there is curse on the land that will kill her if she bleeds.  Amara is a healer and she can take Cilla's blood and her pain as her own, and then heal herself to do it all over again.

The mage traveling with them has secret plans, nothing is what it seems, and the overall plot doesn't come out until the final chapter.  This is complex mixed tale being told in two different worlds and the ending isn't really.  It's like a new point of beginning for all the characters.  This is quite a fantasy tale.  It got dark enough in it to be done by the Bros. Grimm.

Happy reading. 

Pantone: Color Puzzles

Here's a fresh approach to teaching a young child color tones:  Puzzles!

Abrams Appleseed sent me a copy of this book for review (thank you).  It's been published so check with your local bookstore for a copy.

I just love this book!  The Pantone colors are very vibrant and there are so many tones in each color. This board book offers you four similar colors and you need to figure out which puzzle piece goes with each color.

The puzzle pieces could be a temptation to chew on for very little ones so be sure yours is old enough to use the book.  

I learned to match tones and colors by embroidering.  This is a lot more fun and even younger ones can pick up the tonal differences easily.

If your child likes to color, this will show them the different shades you can make.  Let them mix some of their own colors.  You may have a budding artist in your midst.

Happy reading.

All Day and a Night by Alafair Burke

Who killed psychotherapist Helen Brunswick and why?

Harper sent me an ARC of this book for review (thank you).  The book will be published June 10th, so make a note to pick it up then at your local bookstore.

This is a convoluted story with past and present crime connecting in a strange way and making deep dark secrets from the past come to light.

We have Hatcher and Rogan assigned to look into the matter after the DA's office gets an anonymous letter with inside knowledge on the murders in the past.  They have a man in jail, but is he the right man?  And should Ellie work on the case when she's living with the man who assigned the case?

Into this mix, add a rabid attorney that makes her money by finding the investigators at fault and freeing those "falsely" found guilty.  She's on the case looking for dirt and has hired a young attorney whose sister was one of the victims.  

This not an easy case or a quick fix.  There are all sorts of players involved and the murders weren't all done by one man.  People got hurt and will get hurt again while it's all sorted.

The story is fast moving complex tale that keeps your attention and makes you wonder how many are involved and who is really guilty.  Ms. Burke delivers a good suspenseful tale again.

Hilda and the Midnight Giant by Luke Pearson

Hilda and her mother are being evicted by invisible creatures.  How can this be?

Nobrow Press sent me a copy of this book for review (thank you).  This book has been published, so check with your local bookstore for a copy.

This is the second Hilda book I've read and I've enjoyed them both.  The graphics are eye-catching and entertaining.  Hilda has big shoes, skinny legs, hair out-of-control and an insatiable curiosity.

When little notes are left telling Hilda and her mother that they need to leave the premises, they don't want to.  But when things unseen come in and trash the house, her mother is leaning towards leaving.  Hilda is more stubborn.  Hilda also has an ability to talk to everyone and everything without fear.  That comes in real handy.

It seems their home is in the middle of a village of elves.  The elves are so small no one notices and they are invisible to the human eye.  Hilda finds one who wants to talk to her and that one helps her see.  She can't believe how many houses there are!

She sets out to find the person who can stop their eviction.  Along the way, she finds a lonely giant.  He's looking for his love but thinks she may have gotten tired of waiting for him.

I enjoy these stories because they are unfettered fantasy.  Elves and giants belong in this story as much Hilda does.  The ending was not what I expected but it was appropriate.  It will be interesting to see Hilda's next adventure.

One of things I also enjoy about these stories is that they are in graphic form.  To me, it makes it an even greater treasure.  What about you?  Do you like graphic novels?

The Night Gardener by Jonathan Auxier

The children in this story are braver than I was as a child.  I was afraid of the dark and strange sounds.  Molly is scared but refuses to show it.  After all, who else is there to take care of Kip?

Amulet Books sent me an ARC of this story for review (thank you).  The book is being published May 20th, so make a note on your TBR list and pick up a copy at your local bookstore then.

Molly and Kip are orphaned.  Molly pretends their parents are still alive and are just taking longer to reach the shore.  Kip knows better but goes along with the deception.  After all, who wants to be orphans?  They were immigrating from Ireland but when the boat goes down there were only two spaces left in the life boat.  Pretending, though, gets them in trouble with the Night Gardner...

They have been sent to be servants at a house in the woods.  No one will tell them how to get to the woods, much less how to get to the house.  Finally a story teller who looks more like a witch gives them the directions.  When they arrive, they almost want to leave again.  The house is run down, there's a tree almost inside the house, and the family is strange.

This is more of a horror novel than a sweetness and light read.  Molly tries to please the lady of the house, which is hard to do.  Kip is stable boy and the lady wants him to sleep out there, too.  As they work and talk about the family members and the house itself, they begin to notice a strange dark man that walks in the night.

This man takes something from the people in the house.  They have wishes and the tree provides it but for each thing they take, they lose part of themselves.  Even Molly gets in that trap when she gets letters from her parents.  They can't be from her parents, but they are her mother's handwriting.  How is that possible?

The grownups in this story aren't very formidable but the children are magnificent.  The story was scary and a bit mean, but I bet middle grade students will eat it up.